I had the opportunity to sip on a Sazerac Rye 6 Year Old at the Waiting Room, a bar in Melbourne. My girlfriend helps with my tastings at bars, and she does this by ordering a “surprise” whisk(e)y while I am away at the bar or in the toilet and it my job to rate it and guess what it is! (it is so great having such a wonderful girlfriend).

The Sazerac 6 Year Old is a very dry and bitter American rye whiskey. Bright bursts of raisin and honey and are met with the sharp jagged grain that gives way to the oak, drying the palate like a sprig of wet black tea leaves on the tongue. Some sparks of spice also shine in the bitterness; cinnamon especially. The dry and bitter finish cannot be understated, because it is severe! It lasts a very long time, but shimmers of raisin and caramel shine through with the lovely rye. The addition of some ice calmed down the bitterness, which was, towards the end, over the top I think.

The Official Sazerac Cocktail

1 cube of sugar;

35ml of Sazerac Rye whiskey;

10mls of Herbsaint;

3 dashes of bitters;

1 lemon peel.

This is important: place the sugar cube in a glass and dash the bitters onto it, letting it absorb the bitters. Then crush the sugar cube. Add the whiskey. With a cold glass, coat it with the Herbsaint then add the whiskey mixture to that glass. Pop on a lemon peel, and drink away! Enjoy.